Staying ahead – financially – of the GHG regulation game
September 16, 2009 by Tom GuayPosted in: Special Report, Technology
If greenhouse gas (GHG) regulation is inevitable, what can you do to protect your company when this happens?
One strategy that’s gaining popularity before all the climate change rules hit is to plan on buying electricity from renewable energy providers. Your company gets green credits for reducing GHG emissions by buying some or even all of your power from green suppliers.
Many companies are doing that now — laying the groundwork to find alternatives to relying solely on power plants that burn fossil fuels like coal.
The latest proof that the corporate world is on the clean energy bandwagon comes from EPA. It just honored 17 companies that voluntarily buy renewable power under EPA’s Green Power Partnership program. Wind power was clearly the big winner this year, but EPA’s green nod goes to any mix of:
- solar
- wind
- geothermal
- biogas
- biomass, and
- low-impact hydro.
A good place to start your search is to check out the Department of Energy’s Green Power Network. Click on a state of interest and bingo, DOE’s site gives you a list of possible clean energy suppliers. For example, clicking on Arkansas reveals 17 Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas and 26 other suppliers that provide clean power.
You can also download EPA’s Guide for Purchasing Green Power.
Right, now you’ll pay a premium for most clean electricity. However these prices are expected to become more cost-effective if Congress adopts a cap-and-trade bill as requested by President Obama.
Some companies are in the shop-and-learn mode right now, collecting names of potential energy suppliers until the time is right for them to make the switch.
However, many other companies aren’t waiting around. They’re already buying clean energy, and they’ve just picked up Green Power Leadership Awards from EPA. Some of this year’s winners include:
- Deutsche Bank AG — for purchasing 100% wind power for U.S. operations
- Intel Corp. — for using solar power to provide 50% of its electricity
- Kohl’s Department Stores — invested in solar power to provide 50% of its power
- Mohawk Fine Papers, Inc. — for switching to 100% wind power
- Beulieur Commercial — buys 100% of its electricity from wind power suppliers
- Bloomburg LP — uses wind and biomass to provide 64% of its power
- EarthColor — relies on wind power for 100% of its energy, and
- Motorola, Inc. — uses wind to supply 20% of its power.
More winners are listed on EPA’s Web site.
Tags: Beulieur Commercial, Bloomburg, climate change, Deutsche Bank, EarthColor, Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, Green Power Network, Green Power Partnership, Intel, Kohl's, Mohawk Fine Papers, Motorola
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September 17th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
If you’re with a public power company, you can’t ask them to provide “green” power. I’d like them to develop nuclear power, but the enviro-whackos won’t let them build.
September 17th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
GHG legislation will happen if you do nothing. Protest to your ELECTED congressional reps and demand this nonsense be abandoned. This is nothing more than a way to steal money from you to line the pockets of Al Gore and his “green machine” pals. Remember they work for you and you need to remind them of that fact.
September 21st, 2009 at 6:03 am
[...] The use of wind power is rapidly gaining popularity in the U.S. as a renewable energy source. EPA just featured wind power in several of its recent Green Power Partnership awards. [...]